Pathophysiologic theories in the etiology of Meniere's disease

The etiology of the attacks of vertigo that occur in Meniere's disease is discussed in this article. None of the current theories remain tenable in view of recent findings concerning the physiology and pathophysiology of the cochlea and endolymphatic sac. A new theory suggests that a narrowed duct becomes obstructed by debris that is cleared by a combination of the secretion of hydrophillic proteins within the sac and a hormone, saccin, that increases the volume of endolymph within the cochlea. It is proposed that the sudden restoration of longitudinal flow initiates the attacks of vertigo.     

A review of longitudinal studies of cognitive functions in schizophrenia patients

We examined whether differences in health were associated with different probabilities of marital transitions in a longitudinal study, using Cox proportional hazard analysis. Data on approximately 10,000 Dutch persons of the GLOBE study, aged 15-74 years, were used for this purpose. The study started in 1991 and study subjects have been followed for 4.5 years. Of the four marital transitions studied (marriage among never married and divorced persons, and divorce and bereavement among married persons), only divorce among married persons was associated with health status: married persons who reported four or more subjective health complaints or two or more chronic conditions were, respectively, 1.5 and two times more likely to become divorced during follow-up than persons without these health problems. Since hardly any other studies have examined the role of health selection in marital transition with longitudinal data, more research is required before firm conclusions can be drawn. It can be concluded, however, that the frequently made assumption that health selection contributes only little to the explanation of health differences between marital status groups, seems, at least for the divorced, not justified.     

Variation in the anthropomorphization of supernatural beings and its implications for cognitive theories of religion.

The cognitive study of religion has been highly influenced by P. Boyer's (2001, 2003) claim that supernatural beings are conceptualized as persons with counterintuitive properties. The present study tests the generality of this claim by exploring how different supernatural beings are conceptualized by the same individual and how different individuals conceptualize the same supernatural beings. In Experiment 1, college undergraduates decided whether three types of human properties (psychological, biological, physical) could or could not be attributed to two types of supernatural beings (religious, fictional). On average, participants attributed more human properties to fictional beings, like fairies and vampires, than to religious beings, like God and Satan, and they attributed more psychological properties than nonpsychological properties to both. In Experiment 2, 5-year-old children and their parents made both open-ended and closed-ended property attributions. Although both groups of participants attributed a majority of human properties to the fictional beings, children attributed a majority of human properties to the religious beings as well. Taken together, these findings suggest that anthropomorphic theories of supernatural-being concepts, though fully predictive of children's concepts, are only partially predictive of adults' concepts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Apoptosis, necrosis, and proliferation: possible implications in the etiology of keloids

Keloids are collagenous lesions acquired as a result of abnormal wound heating. In this study we have assessed the potential role of proliferation, apoptosis, and necrosis in keloids. Samples were immunolabeled for proliferating cell nuclear antigen or DNA strand breaks or stained with acridine orange. Proliferating cells were observed in the basal layer of the epidermis and fibroblasts in the dermis, the numbers of the latter being increased in comparison with normal skin. No proliferating cells were observed in the central region of the keloid. In normal skin, apoptotic cells were restricted to the basal layer of the epidermis. In keloid samples, numerous apoptotic cells were observed in the epidermis and dermis; the number and distribution of positive cells decreased more distal to the keloid lesion. Apoptotic endothelial cells of a small proportion of blood vessels in the dermis were also observed. Evidence of necrosis was also seen in the dermis. These results suggest that, with maturity, progressive cell degeneration primarily by apoptosis results in clearance of certain cellular populations resulting in the typical keloid lesion. However, the persistence of fibroblast proliferation at the dermal/keloid interface propagates the fibrosis.     

Attitudinal antecedents of rape myth acceptance: A theoretical and empirical reexamination.

M. R. Burt (1980) concluded that acceptance of rape myths was strongly related to adversarial sexual beliefs, tolerance of interpersonal violence, and gender role stereotyping. However, the scales designed to assess these variables appear to share an emphasis on hostile attitudes toward women. Using alternative measures and 3 samples of undergraduates (N?=?429; 199 men and 230 women), the authors demonstrated that hostility toward women can partially account for the relation of the various Burt constructs with rape myth acceptance. In addition, a direct measure of hostility toward women exhibits considerably more predictive power among men than women, suggesting that rape myths may function differently for men and women and that there is significant utility in exploring a more broadly defined construct of misogyny for understanding the acceptance of sexual violence toward women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Classification of attempted suicide: a review of empirical studies, 1963-1993

A review was carried out on empirical studies on the classification of attempted suicide over the period 1963-1993. Our aim was to investigate whether there is research evidence for a valid classification of homogeneous subgroups of suicide attempters. After assessment of the research quality, 32 studies were selected for comparison. Although there is lack of consistency among the studies, indications were found for two clearly distinguished subgroups characterized by mild and severe suicide attempts, which constitute the opposite poles of a one-dimensional concept of severity.     

Season of birth in schizophrenia: A review of evidence, methodology, and etiology.

Reviews research examining the association between season of birth and later onset of schizophrenia. Methodological issues in studies comparing seasonal birth rates of schizophrenics to those of controls are discussed. After summarizing a critique by M. S. Lewis and T. A. Griffin (see record 1981-21450-001) of the season of birth literature and the responses to that critique, it is concluded that seasonal birth rates of schizophrenics do in fact differ from those of the general population. Four hypotheses (harmful effects, genetic-fitness procreational habits, and amplified deviation) proposed to account for this observation are evaluated. Empirical support for each hypothesis is judged to be insufficient, although infectious agents and obstetric complications appear to be the most promising explanations. Recommendations for further research are offered, and the need for a systemic conceptualization of this problem is emphasized. (103 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact of sexual abuse on children: A review and synthesis of recent empirical studies.

A review of 45 studies clearly demonstrates that sexually abused children have more symptoms than nonabused children, with abuse accounting for 15–45% of the variance. Fears, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), behavior problems, sexualized behaviors, and poor self-esteem occurred most frequently among a long list of symptoms noted, but no one symptom characterized a majority of sexually abused children. Some symptoms were specific to certain ages, and approximately one-third of victims had no symptoms. Penetration, the duration and frequency of the abuse, force, the relationship of the perpetrator to the child, and maternal support affected the degree of symptomatology. About two-thirds of the victimized children showed recovery during the 1st 12–28 mo. The findings suggest the absence of any specific syndrome in children who have been sexually abused and no single traumatizing process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Autokinetic illusion: A systematic review of theories, measures, and independent variables.

Attempts to show that in studies of the autokinetic illusion, if the interdependence of theories and measurement methods is first considered, a systematic account becomes possible. Measures based on direction reports are recommended because they describe a theoretically significant, unambiguous, immediately apparent aspect of the apparent movement. 2 new techniques based on this analysis are also described. The views developed are then applied to a review of experimental studies of the autokinetic illusion. Each type of independent variable is separately considered. The status of the 3 main current theories-outflow, eye movement, and sensory tonic-is related to this research as well as to other studies of the oculomotor system. (128 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A theoretical and empirical integration of the rational-emotive and classical conditioning theories.

Tested the assumptions of A. Ellis's ABC theory of psychopathology, which relates implicit verbalizations to emotional arousal. The theory is recast in a developmental conditioning framework which becomes the basis for criticism of a previous study by D. C. Rimm and S. G. Litvak (see record 1969-09037-001) of these assumptions. An empirical replication and extension was conducted, in which 5 hypotheses were derived and tested, using 40 female undergraduates as Ss. Sentence dyads, relevance of content, and neuroticism were manipulated. Response measures were galvanic skin conductance, respiration rate, and respiration depth. Only the galvanic skin response (GSR) measure differentiated the responses of the experimental Ss (with emotionally loaded stimuli) from those of control Ss (with neutral stimuli). The ABC theory was supported by the GSR measure on 3 of the 5 hypotheses under investigation. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Dietary restraint: A theoretical and empirical review.

Examines 2 basic hypotheses concerning dietary restraint. One hypothesis focuses on disinhibition or loss of control among dieters, and the other focuses on the relations between obesity and restraint. It is concluded that the disinhibition hypothesis, which proposes that dieters overeat after disruptions in self-control, has been supported. Both perceptions of having overeaten and dysphoric mood precipitate high consumption among restrained eaters. Research is needed to establish the processes underlying these effects. It is also concluded that the obesity and restraint hypothesis, which proposes that differences in level of restraint underlie differences between obese and normal weight people's eating patterns, has not been supported. Although obese people have higher average restraint scores than normal weight people do, they do not show the disinhibited eating patterns that characterize normal weight, restrained eaters. Studies of the restraint scale have indicated that the high scores found among obese people may be due to psychometric problems in the scale. Overall, it is concluded that although the hypotheses concerning restraint and the recent extension of them into a boundary model of food regulation do not seem useful in understanding obesity, they appear to be relevant to understanding binge eating and related disorders such as bulimia. (77 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Motor neuron disease: etiology, pathogenesis and treatment--a review

This study was conducted in order to determine the effects of body position on integrated electromyographic (IEMG) activity of sternocleidomastoid and masseter muscles in 17 patients with myogenic cranio-cervical-mandibular dysfunction. EMG recordings at rest and during swallowing of saliva and maximal voluntary clenching were performed by placing surface electrodes on the sternocleidomastoid and masseter muscles (contralateral to the habitual side of sleeping of each patient), in the following body positions: standing, seated, supine, and lateral decubitus position. Significant higher EMG activities were recorded in the sternocleidomastoid muscle in the lateral decubitus position and in the supine position (except during swallowing), whereas a significant higher EMG activity was recorded in the masseter muscle during maximal voluntary clenching in standing and seated positions. The EMG pattern observed suggests that the presence of parafunctional habits and body position could be closely correlated with the clinical symptomatology in the sternocleidomastoid and masseter muscles at wakening and during waking hours, respectively, in patients with myogenic cranio-cervical-mandibular dysfunction.     

Growth factors and their implications for clinicians: a brief review

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between histopathological changes and 201Tl accumulation in tumor following chemotherapy in the evaluation of chemotherapeutic effect. Walker 256 carcinoma implanted in the right thighs of Wistar rats was treated by the intravenous injection of adriamycin (ADR). 201Tl scintigraphy was performed before and 12, 24, 72, and 96 hours after chemotherapy. The count ratio of tumor to normal muscle (T/N ratio) was measured by gamma camera. Tumor growth rate was measured and histopathological examination of the tumor after 201Tl scintigraphy was performed. The tumors of all rats disappeared within 2 weeks after chemotherapy, but the T/N ratio did not change. Histopathological findings showed a decrement of tumor cells, small necrotic regions, and remarkable lymphocyte infiltration in the tumor bed in the healing stage. After 201Tl injection, lymphocytes isolated from tumor tissue showed noted 201Tl accumulation. These results suggest that the T/N ratio did not decrease after ADR chemotherapy because of the accumulation of 201Tl in lymphocytes. We concluded that the use of 201Tl may underestimate the therapeutic effect of ADR.     

Intersections of mathematical, cognitive, and aesthetic theories of mind.

New mathematical and cognitive theories of the mind are connected to psychological theories of aesthetics. I briefly summarize recent revolutionary advancements toward understanding the mind, due to new methods of neuroimaging studies of the brain and new mathematical theories modeling the brain–mind. These new theories describe abilities for concepts, emotions, instincts, imagination, adaptation, and learning. I consider the operation of these mechanisms in the mind hierarchy. I concentrate on the emotions of satisfaction or dissatisfaction related to understanding or misunderstanding of the surrounding world. These emotions are usually below the threshold of conscious registration at lower levels (of object perception). I discuss why, and in what sense, these emotions are aesthetic, I relate them to appraisal emotions, and I argue that at higher levels of abstract cognition these emotions are related to the perception of art. The contents of cognitive representations at the top of the mind hierarchy are analyzed, and aesthetic appraisal emotions at these highest levels are related to emotions of the beautiful. I emphasize that aesthetic emotions, so important in art, are not specific to art but to cognition at the highest levels of the mind hierarchy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stress, appraisal, and coping in child sexual abuse: A theoretical and empirical review.

A review of theories to predict the mental health effects of child sexual abuse suggests that existing models have not adequately defined stress and coping constructs and have not specified how those variables might interact with other environmental factors. This article outlines a transactional model that conceptualizes sexual abuse as a stressor consisting of a series of abuse events, abuse-related events, and disclosure-related events that each tend to increase risk for maladaptive outcomes. The model also proposes that cognitive appraisals and coping responses mediate the effects of these events, that developmental and environmental factors may moderate relationships between sexual abuse stressors and victim responses, and that victims' initial responses may effect subsequent levels of abuse-related stress. Empirical studies relevant to the major components of this model are reviewed, and the implications of these findings for future research are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Personal therapy: A review of empirical research.

Many case studies list the benefits of personal therapy. The question that I have attempted to answer is whether the therapist who has undergone psychotherapy can be shown to be more effective than colleagues who have not received such treatment. This has been the subject of some research, but the evidence is contradictory and the findings remain ambiguous. Further research is needed in order to clarify this important training issue. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Hypermnesia and reminiscence in recall: A historical and empirical review.

Hypermnesia (increased recall levels associated with increasing retention intervals) is examined, along with the related phenomenon of reminiscence (the recall of previously unrecallable items). A historical survey of the reminiscence literature is presented, and it is concluded that the decline in interest in the phenomenon during the 1930s and 1940s was partly attributable to changes in how reminiscence was defined and conceptualized. Recent experimental work that has renewed interest in the hypermnesia phenomenon is reviewed, along with two theoretical explications of hypermnesia and the attempts to test them. However, neither theoretical interpretation provides a complete account of hypermnesia. Finally, the experimental literature on repeated testing is examined in order to ascertain which factors affect the likelihood of obtaining hypermnesia. Among the primary factors that apparently affect hypermnesia are the type of study items (pictures produce greater hypermnesia than words) and the length of the recall periods used, with longer recall periods being more likely to produce hypermnesia than shorter periods. Because hypermnesia in the repeated test paradigm depends on both the rate of item recovery and the rate of intertest forgetting, future research should consider more closely the factors that affect intertest forgetting and the recovery of new items. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preliminary models of risk and protective factors for childhood homesickness: review and empirical synthesis

Empirical research and conventional wisdom have suggested numerous risk and protective factors for the development of homesickness. Yet no study has integrated predictors and sequelae of homesickness into a testable statistical model. As a first step in developing a pathogenic model of homesickness in children, this study measured, factor analyzed, and modeled 14 predictors and 8 sequelae of homesickness. Using a sample of 293 boys, ages 8-16, spending 2 weeks at an overnight summer camp, this study tested 2 alternate models, focusing on the roles of boys' interpersonal attitudes, perceived control, and separation expectations in the subsequent development of homesickness. Results indicated that interpersonal attitudes and perceived control may predict boys' preseparation beliefs about whether they will become homesick. This "homesick disposition" combines with little prior separation experience to account for 69% of the variance in self-reported homesickness. Homesickness was not a powerful predictor of negative emotion, whereas interpersonal attitudes and perceived control predicted 70% of the variance in negative emotion. Results are discussed in the context of contemporary theories of homesickness.     

Just teasing: A conceptual analysis and empirical review.

Drawing on E. Goffman's concepts of face and strategic interaction, the authors define a tease as a playful provocation in which one person comments on something relevant to the target. This approach encompasses the diverse behaviors labeled teasing, clarifies previous ambiguities, differentiates teasing from related practices, and suggests how teasing can lead to hostile or affiliative outcomes. The authors then integrate studies of the content of teasing. Studies indicate that norm violations and conflict prompt teasing. With development, children tease in playful ways, particularly around the ages of 11 and 12 years, and understand and enjoy teasing more. Finally, consistent with hypotheses concerning contextual variation in face concerns, teasing is more frequent and hostile when initiated by high-status and familiar others and men, although gender differences are smaller than assumed. The authors conclude by discussing how teasing varies according to individual differences and culture. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)